The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
It is important to use accurate measurement instruments when affixing or constructing permanent or semi-permanent structures. Rulers of various sizes and shapes are useful for such a task, however, such systems typically need to make physical contact with an object being measured, and oftentimes cannot easily scale to much larger or much smaller sizes. Scalable measurement devices that do not need to physically touch an object to obtain an accurate measurement are useful to measure structures of various sizes and locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,306 to Campanga teaches a craft ruler having a laser module that could be positioned anywhere along a longitudinal axis of the ruler. The laser module emits a beam that defines a crafting guideline on an adjacent surface, where the guideline could be adjusted to be at an angle to the straight edge of the ruler. While Campagna's system is relatively scalable, Campagna's system requires a user to place the ruler directly on top of the device requiring the guideline, which may not always be feasible.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,209,874 to Tribble teaches a construction tool system that users a laser to align foundational construction components, such as frames for buildings. Tribble's laser light unit directs the laser light in various directions—horizontal, vertical, and pivotal—and could diffract the laser beam using prisms, allowing a single laser beam to hit a plurality of points on a wall. Tribble's system, however, requires a user to install prism splitters at every intersection in order to create a grid guide that can be followed. Installing prism splitters at every intersection, however, requires a user to already know appropriate measurements before installing the splitters.
WO 2014/06564 to Boyle teaches a structured light source that projects a grid pattern onto a surface. Scenes that are projected onto the grid could then be measured using the grid, and range information could be obtained from determining the relative sizes of relative components of the grid. Boyle's grid, however, needs to be projected using a beam that is cut into a strict 90 degree grid pattern and isn't able to project other types of patterns.
Thus, there remains a need for a system and method that improves the way light can be used as an indicator guide.